Stabilised cocosoy beverage: physicochemical and sensory properties

Beverages formulated from extracts of blanched coconut meat and germinated soybean were compared for their proximate composition to achieve the recommendations for vegetable milks. The stability of cocosoy beverage treated with varying levels (0.2–1.0%, v/v) of a 20% gum acacia solution was determined visually and objectively after 5 days of quiescent refrigerated storage. Cocosoy beverage (50:50, v/v coconut milk to soy milk) had 3.51% protein, 3.53% fat and 5.17% carbohydrate. Similarly, it contained 13.0, 5.2, 14.7, 18.7, 0.5 and 0.3 g kg −1 K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe and P, respectively. Compared with whole coconut milk and reconstituted whole milk powder, cocosoy beverage had significantly higher total solid contents and viscosity but lower pH and buffer index. A total solids top to bottom (T/B) ratio and protein (T/B ratio) of 0.97 and 1.0, respectively, corresponding to a separation index of 1.0, was obtained in cocosoy beverage stabilised with 1.0% gum acacia. Cocosoy beverage stabilised with 1.0% (v/v) gum acacia was rated significantly higher for all the tested sensory attributes. Cocosoy beverage, similar to whole coconut milk, had high contents of glucose and sucrose, a moderate content of fructose, low content of raffinose and no trace of stachyose.